U.S. patent number 6,364,145 [Application Number 09/641,507] was granted by the patent office on 2002-04-02 for motor vehicle fuel cap inlet and outlet vent apparatus.
Invention is credited to Richard M. Boyd, Richard J. Shaw.
United States Patent |
6,364,145 |
Shaw , et al. |
April 2, 2002 |
Motor vehicle fuel cap inlet and outlet vent apparatus
Abstract
A vehicle fuel or gas tank is subject to either a build up of
pressure or a negative pressure, and in view of this inlet and
outlet vents are provided in the fuel cap to balance the pressure
with the atmosphere, and this balance of fuel tank pressure is
attained by covers of vents in the fuel cap and the covers having
an umbrella or parabolic shape or the vents may be covered by reed
valves. The disclosure of covers of vents as described in this
invention then obviates the use of coiled metal springs to control
vents in vehicle fuel caps.
Inventors: |
Shaw; Richard J. (Hartland,
WI), Boyd; Richard M. (St. Louis Pk, MN) |
Family
ID: |
24572679 |
Appl.
No.: |
09/641,507 |
Filed: |
August 21, 2000 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
220/203.11;
220/203.16; 220/203.28; 220/303 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B60K
15/035 (20130101); B60K 15/0406 (20130101); B60K
2015/03547 (20130101); B60K 2015/03269 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B60K
15/035 (20060101); B60K 15/03 (20060101); B60K
15/04 (20060101); B65D 051/16 () |
Field of
Search: |
;220/DIG.33,DIG.27,303,203.02,203.24,203.25,203.28,203.11,203.13,203.15 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
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|
|
|
|
|
2756689 |
|
Jun 1978 |
|
DE |
|
2610297 |
|
Aug 1988 |
|
FR |
|
59-40070 |
|
Mar 1984 |
|
JP |
|
Primary Examiner: Newhouse; Nathan J.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Johnson; Robert T.
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. Vehicle fuel cap outlet and inlet vent apparatus wherein the
improvement comprises;
a an outlet aperture adjacent to a piller in fuel cap body,
b umbrella or parabola shaped aperture cover having a mounting
aperture to receive said pillar
c an aperture cover concave side edge landed on surface around said
pillar and said outlet aperture, and,
d an inlet aperture adjacent to a second pillar in said fuel cap
body,
e a second aperture cover having an umbrella or parabola shape
having a mounting aperture to receive said second pillar,
f and concave side edge of said aperture cover, landed on surface
around said second pillar and said inlet aperture
2. Vehicle fuel cap outlet and inlet venting apparatus of claim 1
further comprising;
a said outlet aperture cover and said inlet aperture cover
comprised of thermoplastic material having a Shore A scale hardness
of 45 to 65.
3. Vehicle fuel cap outlet and inlet vent apparatus of claim 2
further comprising;
a said outlet aperture cover and said inlet aperture cover
comprised of fluoropolymer thermoplastic material having a Shore A
scale hardness of 45 to 65.
4. Vehicle fuel cap outlet and inlet vent apparatus of claim 2,
further comprising;
a said outlet aperture cover and said inlet aperture cover, having
an umbrella or parabolic shape consisting of fluoropolymer
thermoplastic molded material and said molded material having a
Shore A scale hardness of 50 to 60.
5. Vehicle fuel cap outlet and inlet vent apparatus wherein the
improvement comprises;
a a first outlet aperture vent in a fuel cap body,
b a first metal reed attached on one end and adjacent to said
outlet aperture vent
c the end of said reed opposite to attached end extending to close
said outlet aperture,
d end of said metal reed opposite to said attached end in shut off
contact with said outlet aperture vent and,
e an inlet aperture in said fuel cap body,
f a second metal reed attached on one end and adjacent to aperture
for inlet vent,
g the end of said second metal reed opposite to attached end,
extending to cover said inlet aperture, and
h end of second metal reed opposite to said attached end in shut
off contact with said inlet aperture, and
i a coating of plastic elastomer on said shut off ends of said reed
valves.
6. Vehicle fuel cap outlet and inlet vent apparatus of claim 5,
further comprising;
a a coating of fluoropolymer thermoplastic on said shut off ends of
said reed valves.
Description
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION
Proper venting of gasoline fuel tanks in cars or vehicles is
important to reduce emissions of hydrocarbon fuels into the
atmosphere and thus to reduce pollution of the atmosphere.
Disclosure is made of a fuel tank cap, with controlled venting both
into and out of the fuel tank, and a gasket sealing the cap to the
fill pipe of the fuel tank, and the vents maintain minimum ventage
of the hydrocarbon fuel vapors.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Disclosure is made of a car or vehicle fuel cap having an inlet
vent valve and an outlet vent valve and each vent valve held in
closed position until activated to open position by a pressure
differential of pressure build up in the fuel tank for the outlet
vent valve to open or the inlet vent valve actuated by negative
pressure in the fuel tank, and the vent valves can be described as
umbrella shape check valves, or reed valves as alternates to the
umbrella valves. This invention then obviates the use of coil
compression springs as now used in fuel caps for vent controls.
OBJECTS OF THIS INVENTION
An object of this invention is to disclose and claim a vehicle fuel
cap having an inlet vent and an outlet vent and the outlet vent
extending upwards, held in closed position by an umbrella shaped
cover extending over the vent aperture, and the edges of the
umbrella shaped cover riding on the periphery around the outlet
vent aperture and the umbrella shaped cover held in position over
the outlet vent by fastening of the umbrella shaped cover onto a
pillar extending from the vent aperture surface to the center of
the concave surface of the umbrella shaped cap, and an inlet
aperture extending downward in the fuel cap, and a pillar extending
downward next to the inlet aperture and an inverted umbrella shaped
cover extending over the inlet aperture, and the inverted umbrella
shape cover attached to the pillar and the edge of the concave
shape of the inverted umbrella shape extending over the inlet vent
aperture.
Another object is to disclose and claim, as an alternate to
umbrella shaped valves, reed valves in a fuel cap, and one reed
valve in an outlet vent aperture and one reed valve in the inlet
aperture, and the reed valves actuated by differential pressures
inside and outside of the fuel tank.
PRIOR ART
U.S.Patents:
U.S. Pat. No. 4,337,873 for FUEL CAP WITH POPPET VALVES. Spring
loaded valves are disclosed.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,436,219 for SEALING CAP FOR GAS TANK. Pressure and
vacuum relief valves are shown
U.S. Pat. No. 4,765,505 for DELAYED ACTUATION FUEL CAP. The lost
motion of the hub to break the seal on the fill pipe.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,108,001 for PRESSURE RELEASE VENT CAP. Spring
loaded vents are disclosed.
U.S. Pat. No. #5,996,829 for FUEL TANK CAP. Disclosure is made of a
fuel tank cap to control the pressure in a fuel tank by opening and
closing a rubber valve.
U.S. Pat. No. #6,003,709 for FUEL CAP. Electrically conductive fuel
cap.
None of the above cited patents anticipate or make obvious the
disclosure and claims of this present invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
!
DRAWING LEGENDS
LEGEND NO. DESCRIPTION 1 Top of fuel cap. 2 Ridge on top of fuel
cap 3 Torque plate. 4 Outlet vent umbrella. (parabolic shape)
molded of fluorocarbon (thermoplastic) material. 5 Fuel cap body.
(molded thermoplastic e.g. nykon. 6 Inlet vent aperture umbrella
cover. (parabolic shape) molded of fluorocarbon (thermoplastic)
material. 7 Sealing gasket between fuel cap and fill pipe. 8 Pivot
arms on torque plate. 9 Cogs on inner wall of fuel cap. 10 Pin
mounts for pivot 11 Mounting apertures for outlet vent umbrella. 12
Mounting holes for inlet inverted umbrella. 13,13' Reed valve arm
vent seals. 14 mounting hole apertures in torque plate for pins 29
on top of fuel cap body 27 15 Mounting posts for top cover of fuel
cap. 16,16' Reed valve arms attached to fuel cap body top 27.
17,17' Shut-off of vent inlet/ outlet apertures. 18 Pillar post for
inlet vent umbrella cover. 19 Pillar post for outlet vent umbrella
cover 20 Outlet aperture vent. 21 Rim edge of inlet vent umbrella.
22 Periphery of vent aperture. 23 Concave surface of umbrella
shaped cover. 24 Rim edge of inlet inverted umbrella cover. 25
Inlet vent aperture. 26,26' Free end of reed valve arms 27 Top of
fuel cap body. 28 Rim edge of outlet vent umbrella cover 4. 29
Torque plate mounting pins on top 27, of fuel cap body 5. 30
Threads shown on cap body 5
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION
This invention is to disclose and claim vehicle fuel cap venting
apparatus for controlling positive or negative pressure in a
vehicle fuel tank and is described as follows.
FIG. 1 is a cross section elevational view of complete assembly of
fuel cap of this invention, and FIG. 9 is an elevational view of
the complete assembly of the of vehicle fuel cap venting apparatus
of this invention.
The vehicle fuel cap apparatus of this invention includes a vehicle
fuel cap apparatus (see FIG. 1) showing the top of fuel cap 1, and
ridge 2 on top of the fuel cap and components of which are shown in
FIGS. 3,4,5,6,7, and 8 and an inlet vent aperture 25, FIGS. 19,21
and an outlet vent aperture 20, and the outlet vent 20 extending
through the flat top 27 of the fuel cap body 5, and the vent 20
held in "closed" position (see FIGS. 5, 6,15,19) by an by an
umbrella or parabola shaped cover 4 (see FIGS. 13, 14, 15, 19)
extending over the vent aperture 20, and the edge 28 of the
umbrella parabolic shaped cover 4 resting on the periphery 27
around the outlet vent aperture 20 and the umbrella parabola shaped
cover 4 held in position (see FIGS. 5,15,19) over the outlet vent
aperture 20 by fastening of the umbrella parabola shaped cover 4
onto a pillar post 19 extending from flat top 27 of the fuel cap
body 5 through a center mounting aperture 11 of the concave side 23
of the outlet vent umbrella parabola shaped cover 4, and the
umbrella cover edge 28 (FIGS. 14,19) extending over the outlet vent
aperture 20, and to insure balance of the pressure in the fuel tank
there is an inlet vent aperture 25 through the top 27 of the fuel
cap body 5, and a pillar post 18 for inlet vent inverted umbrella
parabola shaped cover 6 (FIG. 7) extending downward on the vehicle
fuel side of the flat top 27 of the fuel cap 5 and covering the
inlet vent aperture 25 and the inverted umbrella parabola shape
cover 6 attached to the pillar post 18 (FIG. 19) extending through
mounting hole 12 in umbrella cover 6, and the edge 29 (FIGS. 17,22)
of the concave side of the inverted umbrella parabola shape cover 6
extending over the inlet vent aperture 25.
Referring now to FIGS. 1,8, and 9, sealing gasket 7 is shown, which
seals the cap to the filler pipe of the vehicle fuel tank. FIG. 18
is a plan view of the gasket 7.
As an alternate apparatus to control the pressure in a vehicle fuel
tank cap, reed valves are shown in FIGS. 20, 21 in a fuel cap body
5. Outlet reed valve 13 is mounted on the top surface of top
section 27 of the fuel cap body 5, and one reed valve 13 mounted on
the bottom surface of top 27, of fuel cap body 5 on inlet vent
aperture 15 and each reed valve 13,13' is attached on one end to
the top surface 27 of the fuel cap body. The reed valves can be
identified as the name implies, a reed 13 or 13' one end of which
is attached at 16, 16' to the fuel cap body FIG. 21 as stated above
and the ends 26,26' of the reeds opposite the attached ends
shut-off of valve faces 17,17' fitting over the inlet and outlet
apertures 14 and 15 respectively, with reed 13 mounted on the top
surface of top 27 of fuel cap body 5.
The reeds 1313' being flexible are actuated by inlet or outlet
pressure on the shut-off valve face contacts 17, 17' to release
either excess pressure in the fuel tank, or low pressure or partial
vacuum in the fuel tank.
Referring now to FIG. 10, there is shown elevation view of top
component 1, of assembly of FIG. 3, rotated 90.degree. of fuel cap
1, showing ridge 2, on top of fuel cap 1. FIG. 11 is plan view of
bottom, of top of fuel tank cap 1, showing cogs 9 on inner wall of
fuel cap 1. FIG. 12 is plan view of torque plate 3, showing mount
apertures 14 to fit over pins 30, on top of fuel cap body 5 and
pivot arms 8, on torque plate 3, and the pivot arms 8 flexibly
mounted on pin mounts 10, to positively hit cams 9 on counter
clock-wise rotation to remove the fuel cap assembly from the fill
pipe, and pivot arms 8 riding over the cogs 9 on clock-wise
rotation of the fuel cap assembly of FIG. 9.
FIG. 16 is the top plan view of inlet vent aperture umbrella cover
6. FIG. 20 is plan view of reed valves 13, 13' mounted on top
surface of fuel cap body 5, and outlet vent 20 and inlet vent 25
shown covered by shut off valve faces 17,17'.
FIG. 23 is a cross section view of outlet vent umbrella cover 4 and
FIG. 24 is a plan view of top of fuel cap body showing the mounting
locations of outlet and inlet vents and umbrella vent covers in
approximate relationship each to the other.
The periphery 22 of the vent apertures are shown as legend 27
The rim edge 24 (FIG. 22) of inlet inverted umbrella cover 6, is in
contact with surface of top of fuel cap 5, and the edge 28 of
umbrella cover 4 is in contact with the surface 27 of fuel cap
5.
The umbrella parabola shaped covers 4 and 6 when mounted over the
apertures as disclosed above, serve as vent control by the edges 24
or 28 being flexed and raised off of contact with the surface
around the apertures, to allow for pressure or vacuum relief
through its respective vent 20 or 25.
It is to be pointed out that the apertures 20 and 25 are each
adjacent to its respective pillar post 19 and 18 under umbrella
parabola shape cover 4 and 6 respectively.
The preferred material for the inlet and outlet vent umbrella
covers 4 and 6 is fluorocarbon (fluoroplastic) moldings, having a
Shore A, 55 to 65 hardness.
The other components may be molded of plastic material such as
nylon or similar materials.
The threads 30, of the fuel cap body 5 are shown as coarse threads,
but these threads may be replaced by quarter turn threads or other
means for attaching the fuel cap to the fill pipe.
The reed valve arms are made of stainless steel or similar inert
metal, and the shut-off valve face 17, 17' contacts on the arms are
preferably of plastic material such as nylon, or fluoropolymer or
the metal of the arms would be sufficient to hold the vent closed
against a pressure of 1--3 pounds per square inch.
Further description includes an outlet aperture 20 adjacent to a
pillar 19, in fuel cap body 5, and an aperture cover 4, having an
umbrella or parabola shape mounted on the pillar 19, and the
aperture cover concave side 23 edge landed on the surface 27 around
the pillar 19 and the outlet aperture 20 and the inlet aperture 25
adjacent to a second pillar 18 in the fuel cap body 5, and a second
aperture cover 6 having an umbrella or parabola shape FIGS. 22 and
23, mounted on the second pillar 18 and the concave side edge 24,
of the aperture cover landed on surface around the second pillar 18
and the inlet aperture 25, on the underside flat top 27 of fuel cap
body 5.
The fluoropolymer thermoplastic material moldings of aperture
covers should have a preferred Shore A hardness of 45 to 65, with a
prederable range of 50 to 60 hardness.
The word "landed" means the edges 24 and 28 of the out-let and
inlet aperture covers 4 and 6 are in contact with the respective
surface around the pillars 18,19 and the apertures 20 and 25, and
the attachment of the outlet/inlet umbrella covers 4 and 6 to the
pillars 19 and 18 is tight to prevent any vent leakage between the
pillars and the umbrella covers.
As an alternate, to obviate springs in a vehicle fuel cap outlet
and inlet vent apparatus a first outlet aperture 20 vent in a fuel
cap body 5 and a metal reed 13 attached on one end 6 and adjacent
to outlet aperture 20 vent the end 26 of the reed 13 opposite to
attached end 16 extending over aperture 20 to close the outlet
aperture 20, end of the metal reed 13 opposite to the attached end
in shut off contact with the outlet aperture vent 20, and, an inlet
aperture 25 in the fuel cap body 5, a second metal reed 13'
attached on one end 16' and adjacent to aperture 25 for inlet vent,
the end 26' of the second metal reed 13' opposite to attached end
16', extending to cover inlet aperture vent 25, the end 26' of the
second metal reed opposite to the attached end 16 in shut off
contact with the inlet aperture 25.
In all of the above discussion and disclosure, the umbrella
parabola covers 4 and 6, and reed valves 13 and 13' are actuated to
vent either in or out by a pressure difference between the fuel
tank and the atmospheric pressure.
* * * * *